Dennis Smith enters his third season as the Bulldogs special teams coordinator after Louisiana Tech head football coach Skip Holtz announced his hiring on Jan. 23, 2019. Smith oversaw the outside linebackers in 2020.

During his second season with Louisiana Tech, Smith coached first team all-Conference USA selection Wayne Toussant, second team all-C-USA selections Reeves Blankenship and Smoke Harris, and Jacob Barnes, who earned a spot on both the all-C-USA honorable mention and all-Freshman lists. 

Toussant acted as Tech's primary kick returner and finished the season leading C-USA and ranking 34th in the FBS in kickoff returns in 2020, averaging 23.0 yards per return. He returned 28 kicks for a total of 644 yards and registered at least 50 kickoff return yards in seven of LA Tech's 10 games. 

Blankenship served as the team's primary deep snapper in nine of the 10 games in 2020. He did not give up a single blocked field goal and only had one blocked punt during the season. Blankenship helped kicker Jacob Barnes go go 12-for-14 in field goals, including the game-winning 35-yarder in double overtime against UAB (Oct. 31).

Harris acted as Louisiana Tech's primary punt returner where he averaged 21.60 yards per punt return. He returned six punts for a total of 129 yards during the season, including a career-long 60-yard punt return at the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl (12/23). 

Barnes, who was a Lou Groza National Collegiate Place-Kicker Award Semifinalist in 2020, served as both the kicker and punter for LA Tech. He was a perfect 33-for-33 in PATs, including a career-best 9-for-9 against HBU (11/26). Barnes opened the season with eight straight made field goals, including a career-long 51-yarder against HBU. He finished the season 12-for-14 in field goals, including the game-winning 35-yarder in double overtime against UAB (10/31).

Smith also coached all-Conference USA honorable mention selection Ezekiel Barnett in 2020. Barnett finished fourth on the team with 49 total tackles, including 33 solo and 2.5 for loss. He returned two interceptions for 66 yards during the season, including a 60-yard touchdown return at UTSA (10/24). 

In his first season at LA Tech, Smith coached second team all-Conference USA selections Bailey Hale and Reeves Blankenship. Hale was one of the most consistent kickers in the league throughout the 2019 season. After missing the first two kicks of the year in Tech's opener at No. 10 Texas, Hale connected on 15 of his last 16 attempts to end the season. He also nailed all 51 of his extra-point attempts (most without a miss in C-USA).
 
Blankenship served as the team's primary deep snapper in every game in 2019 and did not misplay a snap all year as one of the conference's most consistent special teams contributors.

Smith was part of a 2019 season that produced 10 wins for the first time since 1984. The 10th victory came in the 2019 Walk On's Independence Bowl as the Bulldogs shut out the Miami Hurricanes, 14-0, in Shreveport. It was the first shutout in Independence Bowl history and the only shutout of the 2019 bowl season.
 
Smith joined the LA Tech staff with more than 10 years of college football experience as both an assistant coach and the operational side.
 
Smith spent the previous three seasons at McNeese State where he served as the special teams coordinator, running backs coach and academic coordinator for the Cowboys. His special teams unit at McNeese finished ranked No. 1 nationally in four major phases of special teams, while the Cowboys also finished ranked first in the Southland Conference in net punting, kickoff defense and kick returns this past season.
 
Prior to his time in Lake Charles, Smith spent the 2015 season at Florida A&M working with the tight ends and directing the FAMU special teams unit. In his one season with the Rattlers, Smith also served as the recruiting coordinator and compliance liaison, while his tight ends group finished first on the team in overall GPA.
 
Previously, Smith coached two seasons as wide receivers coach and special teams coordinator at Itawamba Community College in Fulton, Mississippi, where his receiving group ranked second among Mississippi junior colleges in total receptions with 227. His special teams unit also led the Mississippi junior college league in net punting.
 
From 2007 to 2012, Smith served several different roles while working for the FIU football program. He joined the FIU staff in 2007 as an assistant director of football operations before becoming a graduate assistant coach on offense for the Panthers the next two seasons. In 2011, Smith served as FIU’s director of player personnel and quality control before spending the 2012 season as the tight ends coach and recruiting coordinator. In his time at FIU, Smith was instrumental in helping the Panthers secure the top recruiting classes in the Sun Belt in 2011 and 2012.
 
A 2005 graduate of the University of Miami, Smith worked as assistant director of football operations at The U in 2006 before spending the next six seasons at FIU. In addition to a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Miami, Smith later earned his master’s in sports science from FIU in 2010.